Electrical Problem

[P5_Boricua]

Yesterday my car wouldnt crank and I had to push start it 4 times. Thinkin it was the battery I got me a used one today from my brother in law and the car is still doing the same thing. Once the car is turned on there is no problem at all which leads me away from thinking its the alternator but honestly I dont even know what to think anymore. Any ideas?

 

[jr42697]

it might be ur stater .....if u have power but no crank that the problem

 

[P5_Boricua]

It sounds like a possible, will definatly check

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

If it was the alternator, the battery would be dying. You wouldn't be able to go far, as the alternator is constantly recharging the battery when the car is running. It may very well be the starter. Describe "wouldn't crank"...does it just click when you turn the key? Or does it struggle to start? If it's not starting, turn the headlights on for a minute and see how long they hold out...if it's the battery, they should fade out quickly. It does sound like the starter, but autozone will test your battery for free, so I would run that down as well.

 

[P5_Boricua]

well when i turn the key it just clicks and the dash goes blank (the milage reader and the other miscelanius lights) once i turn the car on, either by push start or by jumping it it runs perfect, the only problem is that my headlight flicker on and off, thats why i thaught it was the battery but I replaced this today and it keeps doing the exact same thing

 

[Th3_Gr33k]

Give it a little love tap with the hammer, you really aren't supposed to do that with em' but it will work until you get your new one. (sssh)

 

[stjohans]

once my car got so cold that i couldnt start it, nothing would happen when i turned the key, turns out some frost built up between the contacts on the sensor/switch that tells if the clutch is pressed down

 

[P5_Boricua]

after not using my car at all on friday and not havig time to work on it on saturday, I worked on it Sunday morning... the Problem was easily fixed and I'm a little emberrased to say what it was. My starter's ground appearantly came off. I have no idea how but after taking the intake off and removing part of the harness to get better access to the starter we saw the ground wire just hanging down, so now i feel dumb but hey at least I got me a brand new Gel Cell battery